'14 season

[VaRedneck]

Dec 13th

I had somethin cross the northern neighbor's fence in the dark...sounded like more than one...buck pushin a doe maybe. An hr after sunrise had 4 bucks...2-8's a 6 and a 5 come back from where I heard earlier...wondered if it was these just guys out searchin for the ladies. They all made their way across the NE fence and then on down the creek to the south. Had a herd of elepha....okay...flock of turkeys tearing it up behind me for most of the mornin..around noon they finally eased up to my 3oclock...made a left on up the hill and into the pines. Just before dark had an 8pt head back north up the creek...he was wider than my last..but thinner shorter tines. About the time I left the crosshairs off his shoulder a tagalong caught up with him and then both were gone.

Never had a season like this. Seen 2 maybe 3 does all season so far...bucks everywhere with most being too small to shoot. Needing a few does to fill the freezer...maybe next week.

[VaRedneck]

Dec 22nd

Something changed this year...or more likely...a combination of. Best acorn crop in years...in my mind, (with the exception of a coupla does with bucks in tow) kept everything 'cept young bucks to the thick stuff all season.

Was out yesterday...just before legal light had what I believe is one of the last two 8pt'rs in the area cruise 40yds past the stand...even stopped under my old scent dripper before headin into the thick stuff just before light. Celebrated the mrs' BDay so was outa the woods by 10a.m. Check the game cam...no deer for the past coupla weeks in the pasture during the day light hrs.

As I was walkin back from the cam I paid special attention to the leavings....acorns are gone...nuthin but shells and skins. And sure enough...long about 4pm had three does checkin out my back trail from my stand. Put some glass on them...2older one yearling.

Heard talk of bear still active in the higher elevations. I was starting to wonder if I had company next door. This fri mornin I'm expecting to see a bit more than what I've seen this season to date. Need three more in the next two weeks...gonna be a close thing.

The other change...prolly self inflicted....

I'd put a hurtin on the does the last coupla years...taking 3 or so and letting the lil bucks walk. It's been an effort to see more bucks. Well.....last year I struggled to see does as well...had to re-read my posts. A good thing. Anyway....A thought that maybe all those lil bucks are squeezin the does outa their normal bedding areas. Maybe I gotta do a more "balanced" harvest.

I dunno....I'm not the only hunter in the area so....would I make that much of a difference....dunno.

[VaRedneck]

Dec 27th

What a freakin year....

Was in the stand early today....35*...calm...no moon. After psyching myself out on the route I'd been taking to my stand...I changed things up a bit this mornin. A coupla years back I had gotten busted as soon as I cleared the Ashe out back. They had gone north so I'd headed the long way around...once I got to my old tree I headed straight out into the pasture and bee-lined to my stand. Later that day I took a buck pushing some does outa the pines to the north.

Well...I'd been looking to take a doe today...figured if I replayed that route I could maybe get by any deer bedded close to that North fence line...let them be confident that down creek was a safe corridor. That was the plan anyway.

About 9a.m. the neighbor to the west fired up a skid-steer and hauled a low-boy trailer down his pasture. Evidently he had a couple trees crossing his fence. He was finished beepin and sawin and gone an hr later. About 30min later I spied movement to the North. Caught sight of a tail and rump as it passed an old blow down oak. Being as high on that spur as he was I didn't sweat turning to face him...he was headed to my fence line...only a matter of time....or so I thought. Just about the time I had given him up for heading north not south...I saw another...this one a 4pt...nibblin some brouse on the fence line...then another deer to match the first showed...2 8ptr's and a 4. They promptly bedded down...2;30, 3:00 and the 4 at 4:00. right on the fence line...for two hrs. I was dyin. The muscle that runs up the right side of my neck to my shoulder blade was on fire. On top of that...the temp had climbed easily to 65*.

Movin slowly as possible...I started opening up the coat, bibs, hoodie....as I took my stocking cap off and replace my cap...and re-size it...twice...the wind shifted. All of a sudden one 8pt was up. I'd lost him when he'd bedded down..but since he hadn't walked away I couldn't move for fear he'd see me..the other two had had their heads behind trees. Anyway....20min later he bedded back on down. Just as I was starting to relax cramped side ways like I was...wind picked up...this time all three got up and started higher up the spur away from me. Just as the last 8 was walkin outa sight I let out a soft fawn bleet...then a couple more. He stopped...then I sprayed some doe estrous on my knee. A coupla min later when that hit...all hell broke loose...there wern't 3 bucks bedded down within 75yds of me, there were 6. 4 8's, a 6 and a 4. I haven't seen that much horn in one place in my entire career. Still couldn't move to face them. They milled around a bit then turned away and started back into the pines...I let out with a few more grunts and bleats...more scent...nuthin. They headed on to the east and gone.

I took that opportunity to stand and do an about face...hoping they'd pull the same compass boxing maneuver that last buck tried....nada.

Didn't see another deer the rest of the day.

It dawned on my though on my way outa the woods...me opening up all my clothes to let some cool air in prolly let some of my scent out too.

With all these bucks around...it's no wonder the does are scarce. Had been feelin bad for taking a small buck...now....not so much. I've never encountered this many bucks...I'm at a loss..dunno how to hunt them. They're acting like a pre-rut bachelor group. No interest in doin nuthin but feedin and sleepin.

[VaRedneck]

Jan 1, '15

The old axiom....hunt with the wind...couldn'tve been more true today. Sucks though I only had the one stand to go with.

Cold and clear this a.m....still...30*...beautiful. With the exception of the frost heaved trail I used on my way to the stand...couldn't ask for much better. Sounded like walkin on gravel. I settled in....and just before light...somethin came outa the creek bed and crossed the first lane. I heard it go on into the second before losing it in the laurel. When I cut those lanes last spring, I wove/stacked the brush into the edges...low and wide....not threatening...but not quiet. They tip toe through frozen leaves just fine...but dead frozen sticks will tell you where they are even in a breeze.

Here's where I was wishin for a different stand. The wind started out of the s and sw. Second hunting day in a row...and sure enough along about 9a.m. I had three does? cross my northern fence and head my way...before I could stand to face them I had one 15yds at my 5o'clock. It stopped dead....and that pretty much ended it right there...everyone beat feet back the way they came...and that was the last deer I saw for the day.

With Saturday being my last day I won't move my stand. But this spring, if I don't replace it with a better one...I'll be re-orienting it from the w to the nw. This'll at least give me the opportunity to swing further to the E on the creek w/o having to move too much in the stand...engage them sooner...before any errant breeze betrays me. At least if it does I'll already be putting cross hairs on one even if it should rethink it's path...it'll be too late.

[VaRedneck]

Jan 3rd

Light rain this mornin....high 30's...didn't see a thing move 'cept 3 squirrels. Called it a day. Not the happy ending to the season I had hoped for.

Discouraged...for now.

Improvements will be made before next season.

[Jack]

Sounds like you had a great season. Those are some big deer!

[Gil Martin]

Very nice pictures and a great story. Thanks for sharing. All the best...
Gil